Well, sort of his own invention; Mr. Monserrate has co-opted the ever-popular ‘Yes We Can,’ which helped coalesce a legendary farmworkers strike in California, and then served as the catchphrase to elect the first black president.

The special election is on March 16, when Mr. Monserrate hopes he and whoever else can “defend the rights of the voters and never [allow] their vote to be disenfranchised,” as he put it in a statement.